This feature article accumulates Dalai Lama Quotes on Living, Family, Education, Kindness, Happiness, Loneliness and Isolation, Fear, War, Love, Compassion, and Meditation.
Dalai Lama Quotes
The Dalai Lama is the highest spiritual leader and head of Tibetan Buddhism. The 14th Dalai Lama lives in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, in northern Indian. The Dalai Lama’s quotes highlight love, kindness, happiness, compassion, meditation, education, and a meaningful life.
He also provides motivational quotes for employees, students, politicians, educators, family members, pilgrims, and many more. In this content, the author collected significant quotes from the Dalai Lama across different books, including 365 Dalai Lama: Daily Advice from the Heart and The Good Heart. These quotes are also known as the Dalai Lama meditation.
Dalai Lama Famous Quotes
“Share your It is a way to achieve immortality.”
“Once a year, go somewhere you’ve never been.”
“We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without humans.”
“Know the rules well, so you can break them ”
“Although you may not always be able to avoid difficult situations, you can modify the extent to which you can suffer by how you choose to respond to the situation.”
“When we feel love and kindness towards others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it also helps us to develop inner happiness and peace.”
“Whether one is rich or poor, educated or illiterate, religious or non-believing, man or woman, black, white, or brown, we are all the same. Physically, emotionally, and mentally, we are all We all share basic needs for food, shelter, safety, and love. We all aspire to happiness and we all shun suffering. Each of us has hopes, worries, fears, and dreams. Each of us wants the best for our family and loved ones. We all experience pain when we suffer loss and joy when we achieve what we seek. On this fundamental level, religion, ethnicity, culture, and language make no difference.”
“As you breathe in, cherish As you breathe out, cherish all beings.”
“If you want others to be happy, practice If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”
“Sleep is the best ”
“Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.”
“Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get.”
“As people alive today, we must consider future generations: a clean environment is a human right like any It is, therefore, part of our responsibility toward others to ensure that the world we pass on is as healthy, if not healthier, than we found it.”
“Happiness is not something readymade, it comes from your own ”
“We begin from the recognition that all beings cherish happiness and do not want to. It then becomes both morally wrong and pragmatically unwise to pursue only one’s own happiness, oblivious to the feelings and aspirations of all others who surround us as members of the same human family. The wiser course is to think of others when pursuing our own happiness.”
“In order to carry out a positive action, we must develop a positive ”
“Most people prefer a smile to a It’s human nature. Even dogs respond with wagging tails to a smile and other shows of affection.”
“Inner peace is the key: if you have inner peace, the external problems do not affect your deep sense of peace and tranquility…without this inner peace, no matter how comfortable your life is materially, you may still be worried, disturbed, or unhappy because of circumstances.”
“We all have the power of thought—so what are you lacking? If you have willpower, then you can change anything.”
It is under the most incredible adversity that there exists the most significant potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.”
“I believe the very purpose of our life is to seek Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in that religion or this religion, we are all seeking something better in life. So, I think, the very motion of our life is towards happiness.”
“Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.”
“Compassion is the radicalism of our time.”
“I want to be just a pure spiritual leader.”
“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
“Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real .”
“Irrespective of whether we are believers or agnostics, whether we believe in God or karma, moral ethics is a code which everyone is able to pursue.”
“Never give No matter what is going on. Never give up.”
“Don’t ever mistake my silence for ignorance, my calmness for acceptance, or my kindness for weakness. Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.”
“Optimism leads to success; pessimism leads to defeat.”
“When we are motivated by compassion and wisdom, the results of our actions benefit everyone, not just our individual selves or some immediate. When we are able to recognize and forgive ignorant actions of the past, we gain the strength to constructively solve the problems of the present.”
“If you have fear of some pain or suffering, you should examine whether there is anything you can do about it. If you can, there is no need to worry about it; if you cannot do anything, then there is also no need to worry.”
“Anger or hatred is like a fisherman’s It is very important for us to ensure that we are not caught by it.”
Smile if you want a smile from another face.”
I believe the ultimate source of blessings is within us.”
“Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your.”
“Instead of wondering WHY this is happening to you, consider why this is happening to YOU.”
“A disciplined mind leads to happiness, and an undisciplined mind leads to ”.
I have always had this view about the modern education system: we pay attention to brain development, but the development of warmheartedness we take for granted.”
In the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher
“To remain indifferent to the challenges we face is indefensible. If the goal is noble, whether or not it is realized within our lifetime is largely What we must do, therefore, is to strive and persevere and never give up.”
“Because we all share this planet earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature. This is not just a dream, but a necessity.”
An eye for an eye… we are all blind.
“I believe that to meet the challenges of our times, human beings will have to develop a greater sense of universal Each of us must learn to work not just for oneself, one’s own family, or nation, but for the benefit of all humankind. Universal responsibility is the key to human survival. It is the best foundation for world peace.”
“Compassion is not religious business, it is human business, it is not luxury, it is essential for our own peace and mental stability, it is essential for human survival.”
“The creation of a more peaceful and happier society has to begin from the level of the individual, and from there it can expand to one’s family, to one’s neighborhood, to one’s community and so on.”
“In order to become prosperous, a person must initially work very hard, so they have to sacrifice a lot of leisure time.”
“There are two kinds of compassion. The first comes from a natural concern for friends and family who are close to us. This has limited range but can be the seed for something bigger. We can also learn to extend a genuine concern for others’ well- being, whoever they That is real compassion, and only human beings are capable of developing it.”
“Neither a space station nor an enlightened mind can be realized in a day.”
Action is more important than meditation.
“Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend – or a meaningful day.”
“Virtually all of us have benefited from our mother’s affection at the start of our lives. When someone is on their deathbed, if they are surrounded by loved ones they can pass away peacefully. From birth to death, we all need affection.”
“I don’t know whether the universe, with its countless galaxies, stars, and planets, has a deeper meaning or not, but at the very least, it is clear that we humans who live on this earth face the task of making a happy life for ourselves. Therefore, it is important to discover what will bring about the greatest degree of happiness.”
“All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion, and The important thing is they should be part of our daily lives.”
“Human potential is the same for all. Your feeling, “I am of no value”, is wrong. Absolutely You are deceiving yourself. We all have the power of thought – so what are you lacking? If you have willpower, then you can change anything. It is usually said that you are your own master.”
“To be kind, honest and have positive thoughts; to forgive those who harm us and treat everyone as a friend; to help those who are suffering and never to consider ourselves superior to anyone else: even if this advice seems rather simplistic, make the effort of seeing whether by following it you can find greater happiness.”
“A truly compassionate attitude toward others does not change even if they behave negatively or hurt you.”
If a problem can be solved, it will be. If it can not be solved, there is no use worrying about it.”
“Be kind whenever It is always possible.”
“If you have fear of some pain or suffering, you should examine whether there is anything you can do about it. If you can, there is no need to worry about it; if you cannot do anything, then there is also no need to worry.”
“The purpose of all the major religious traditions is not to construct big temples on the outside, but to create temples of goodness and compassion inside, in our hearts.”
“Because motivation pervades all action, it is important that we have a positive motivation. Whatever we are involved in, whether it’s politics, education, medicine, law, engineering, science, business or industry, the nature of our motivation determines the character of our work.”
“When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct.”
“Proper utilization of time is so important. While we have this body, and especially this amazing human brain, I think every minute is something.”
“Let us try to recognize the precious nature of each day.”
“Home is where you feel at home and are treated well.”
“World peace must develop from inner Peace is not just the mere absence of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifestation of human compassion.”
“We all have to live together, so we might as well live together.”
“Only the development of compassion and understanding for others can bring us the tranquility and happiness we all seek.”
“The important thing is that men should have a purpose in It should be something useful, something good.”
“When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways–either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits or by using the challenge to find our inner ”
“As individuals, we can influence our own Our families can influence our communities and our communities can influence our nations.”
“Even an animal, if you show genuine affection, gradually trust develops… If you are always showing a bad face and beating, how can you develop friendship?”
“The remedy is to look deeper and recognize that we human beings are physically, mentally, and emotionally the same.”
“Calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, so that’s very important for good health.”
“Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”
“Too much self-centered attitude, you see, brings, you see, isolation. Result: loneliness, fear, The extreme self-centered attitude is the source of suffering.”
“Even when we have physical hardships, we can be very ”
“If we are sincere in taking care of others, if we protect their lives and respect their rights, we’ll be able to conduct our lives transparently and that is the basis of trust, which in turn is the basis of friendship.”
“Be honest, truthful, and altruistic. If you concern yourself with taking care of others, there’ll be no room for lies, bullying, and if you’re truthful, you can live transparently, which will enable you to establish trust, the basis for making friends.”
“It’s good to remember that other human beings are like We are born the same way; we die the same way. While we’re alive it’s better to be able to trust each other as friends.”
“Friendship depends on trust, not money, not power, not mere education or knowledge. Only if there is trust will there be friendship.”
“The planet does not need more successful The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of all kinds.”
“When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it also helps us to develop inner happiness and peace.”
Dalai Lama Quotes & Meditation on Living
Common sense shows that human life is short-lived and that it is best to make our brief sojourn on this Earth valuable to ourselves and others.
As humans, we all have the same potential, unless there is a lazy brain function at work. The extraordinary human brain is the source of our strength and our future, provided we use it in the right direction. If we use the brilliant human mind in the wrong way, it really is a disaster.
I think human beings are the superior sentient beings on this planet. Humans have the potential not only to create happy lives for themselves but also to help other beings. We have a natural creative ability, and it is crucial to realize this.
We do not usually know how to distinguish between what is essential and what is secondary. However, we spend our lives running about here and there after pleasures that elude us forever and leave us unsatisfied. We try to be happy come what may without wondering whether we are causing anyone to suffer in the process. Finally, we are prepared to do anything to amass and defend our possessions, which are neither lasting nor accurate sources of happiness.
We cannot be helpful to ourselves unless we are also valuable to others. Whether we like it or not, we are all connected, and it is unthinkable to be happy all by oneself. Anyone who is only concerned with his own well-being will suffer eventually. Anyone who is only concerned with the well-being of others takes care of himself without even thinking about it. Even if we decide to remain selfish, let us be intelligently selfish – let us help others!
Let’s use our human intelligence wisely. Otherwise, how are we superior to animals?
If we really want to make our lives meaningful and happy, we should begin by thinking sanely. We should cultivate the human qualities we all possess but which we bury under a heap of confused thinking and conflicting emotions.
Let us cultivate love and compassion, both of which give life true meaning. This is the religion I preach, more so than Buddhism itself. It is simple. Its temple is the heart. Additionally, its teaching is love and compassion. Its moral values are loving and respecting others, regardless of who they are. Whether one is a layperson or a monastic, we have no other option if we wish to survive in this world.
To be kind, honest, and have positive thoughts; to forgive those who harm us and treat everyone as a friend; to help those who are suffering and never to consider ourselves superior to anyone else: even if this advice seems rather simplistic, make the effort of seeing whether, by following it, you can find greater happiness.
We do not need to reflect for long before realizing that all beings spontaneously seek happiness and try to avoid suffering. You will not find even a single insect that will not do everything in its power to escape suffering and to feel good. Human beings have the additional capacity to think. So we should make good use of our intelligence.
Pleasure and suffering are based on sensory perceptions and inner satisfaction. For us, inner satisfaction is the more important of these. It is special to human beings. With a few exceptions, animals cannot experience this.
Satisfaction is characterized by inner peace. It arises from generosity, honesty, and what I call ethical conduct, that is, a way of behaving that respects the right of others to happiness.
An open heart is an open mind- Dalai Lama.
A great deal of our suffering comes from having too many thoughts. And, at the same time, the way we think is not sane. We are only concerned with our immediate satisfaction and forget to measure its long-term advantages and
disadvantages, either for ourselves or for others. But such an attitude always ends up going against us. There is no doubt that by changing the way we see things, we could reduce our current difficulties and avoid creating new ones.
There are certain types of suffering, such as the suffering associated with birth, sickness, old age, and death, that cannot be avoided. The only thing we can do is reduce the fear they instill in us. But many other problems in the world, ranging from marital quarrels to the most devastating wars, could be avoided if only we adopted a sane and healthy attitude.
If we do not think things through well, if our vision is only short-term and our methods only superficial, and if we do not consider things with an open, relaxed outlook, then we turn what started as minor problems into significant difficulties. In other words, we create much of our own suffering.
Dalai Lama Quotes on Love
If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.
Someone else’s action should not determine your response.
I find hope in the darkest days, and focus in the brightest.
Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.
Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity
cannot survive.
Love is the absence of judgment.
The more you are motivated by love, the more fearless & free your actions will be.
All major religious traditions carry basically the same message: love, compassion, and forgiveness. The important thing is they should be part of our daily lives.”
Give the ones you love wings to fly, roots to come back, and reasons to stay.
Through violence, you may ‘solve’ one problem, but you sow the seeds for
another.
It is under the most incredible adversity that there is the most tremendous potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.
When you practice gratitude, you develop a sense of respect for others.
I defeat my enemies when I make them my friends.
Choose to be optimistic; it feels better.
Our ancient experience confirms at every point that everything is linked and inseparable.
Someone else’s action should not determine your response.
Anger is the ultimate destroyer of your own peace of mind.
The more you are motivated by love, the more fearless & free your actions will be.”
“There is only one important point you must keep in your mind and let it be your guide. No matter what people call you, you are just who you are. Keep to this truth. You must ask yourself how you want to live your life. We live and we die, this is the truth that we can only face alone. No one can help us, not even the Buddha. So consider carefully, what prevents you from living the way you want to live your life?”
“We are the controller of If we become slaves to technology, then that’s not good.”
“Compassion naturally creates a positive atmosphere, and as a result, you feel peaceful and content.”
“Time passes. When we make mistakes, we cannot turn the clock back and try again. All we can do is use the present well.”
“Those who have little interest in spirituality shouldn’t think that human inner values don’t apply to you. The inner peace of an alert and calm mind are the source of real happiness and good Our human intelligence tells us which of our emotions are positive and helpful and which are damaging and to be restrained or avoided.”
“I will not propose to you that my way is best. The decision is up to you. If you find some point which may be suitable to you, then you can carry out experiments for yourself. If you find that it is of no use, then you can discard it.”
Dalai Lama Quotes on Life
Give the ones you love wings to fly, roots to come back, and reasons to stay.
The topic of compassion is not at all a religious matter; it is essential to know that it is a human matter, a question of human survival.
Let us try to recognize the precious nature of each day.
I believe compassion to be one of the few things we can practice that will bring immediate and long-term happiness to our lives. I’m not talking about the short-term gratification of pleasures like sex, drugs, or gambling (though I’m not knocking them), but something that will bring true and lasting happiness. The kind that sticks.
The goal is not to be better than the other man, but to be better than your previous self.
My religion is straightforward. My religion is kindness.
Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps us overcome fears and insecurities and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.
Our prime purpose in this life is to help others, and if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.
People take different roads in search of fulfillment and happiness. Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost.
The true hero conquers his own anger and hatred.
Love and Compassion are the true religions to me. But to develop this, we do not need to believe in any religion.
Dalai Lama Quotes on Family
The family is the most fundamental unit in society. If it is ruled by peace and human values, then not only will parents live happily and free of tension, but their children and grandchildren will too, and even generations after that if they have a religious faith. Their children will naturally be drawn to this. If they speak politely to each other and behave ethically, love each other and show mutual respect, and help those in need and show concern for the world around them, their children will likely follow suit and become responsible people.
On the other hand, if the mother and father are continuously fighting and insulting each other, if they just do whatever comes into their heads without thinking of others, then not only will they never be happy themselves, but their children will inevitably fall victim to their influence.
Our family influences another, and then ten, a hundred, and a thousand, and thus the whole of society will be better off.
As a Buddhist, I often tell Tibetans that if there is one area where they should make a real effort to re-establish and develop the Buddha’s teaching, it is within their own families. That is where parents should express their faith, teach their children, and truly become spiritual guides. They should not be content with simply showing their children pictures and explaining that they represent such-and-such a deity; they should fully explain that this deity symbolizes compassion, that this deity represents supreme wisdom, and so forth. The more parents understand Buddhist teachings, the more they will be able to influence their children positively. And this principle, of course, is valid for other spiritual or religious traditions as well.
Dalai Lama Quotes on Education
I am convinced that the progress or decline of humanity rests very largely with educators and teachers, who therefore have a tremendous responsibility.
Do not limit yourself to words; set your students an example. Then they will remember what you tell them better. Be responsible for your students’ future in all its guises.
If you are a teacher, try not to transmit knowledge merely. But try at the same time to awaken your students’ minds to basic human qualities such as kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and understanding. Do not communicate these as though they were the reserve of ethics or religion. Show them that these qualities are indispensable for the happiness and survival of everyone.
Teach students to debate and resolve conflicts nonviolently, and to take an interest in what the other person thinks as soon as there is a disagreement. Teach them not to view things in a narrow-minded way; not to think only of themselves, their community, their country, or their race, but to realize that all beings have the same rights and the same needs. Make them aware of our universal responsibility; show them that whatever we do matters, and that everything affects the rest of the world.
Teach students to debate and resolve conflicts nonviolently, and to take an interest in what the other person thinks as soon as there is a disagreement. Teach them not to view things in a narrow-minded way; not to think only of themselves, their community, their country, or their race, but to realize that all beings have the same rights and the same needs. Make them aware of our universal responsibility; show them that whatever we do matters, and that everything affects the rest of the world.
Dalai Lama Quotes on Happiness
I think that every human being has an innate sense of I. We cannot explain why that feeling is there, but it is. Along with it comes a desire for happiness and a wish to overcome suffering. This is quite justified: we have a natural right to achieve as much joy as possible, and we also have a right to overcome suffering. The whole of human history has developed based on this feeling.
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
“Happiness is the highest form of health.”- Dalai Lama
Happiness is not something readymade; it comes from your own actions.
I believe compassion to be one of the few things we can practice that will bring immediate and long-term happiness to our lives. I’m not talking about the short-term gratification of pleasures like sex, drugs, or gambling (though I’m not knocking them), but something that will bring true and lasting happiness. The kind that sticks.
People take different roads in search of fulfillment and happiness. Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost.
Happiness doesn’t always come from a pursuit. Sometimes it comes when we least expect it.
I believe the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. Whether one believes in religion or not, whether in that religion or this, we are all seeking something better in life. So, I think, the very motion of our life is towards happiness.
Only the development of compassion and understanding for others can bring us the tranquility and happiness we all seek.
“When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it also helps us to develop inner happiness and peace.
There are several ways of being happy. Some people are slightly disturbed and in a perpetual state of mindless enjoyment. They always think everything is fine. That is not the kind of happiness we are dealing with here. Others base their joy on the possession of material goods and the satisfaction of the senses. We have already noted how fragile such happiness is. Even when you think you are pleased, if you take that happiness for granted, you will doubly suffer when circumstances are no longer in your favor. Yet others believe that their happiness stems from moral attitudes and behavior. This is the kind of happiness we need, because it is grounded in profound causes and does not depend on circumstances.
A disciplined mind leads to happiness, and an undisciplined mind leads to suffering.
If your attitude is wrong, even if good friends and the best facilities surround you, you cannot be happy. This is why mental attitude is more important than external conditions. Despite this, it seems to me that many people are more concerned about their external conditions and neglect the inner attitude of mind. I suggest that we should pay more attention to our inner qualities.
To achieve lasting happiness, we first need to acknowledge the reality of suffering. This may be depressing at first, but it works in the long run. Although some people prefer to avoid facing reality by taking drugs, by seeking false states of bliss through directionless spiritual paths, or by living life in the fast lane so they have no time to think deeply, they only experience a short reprieve. When their problems come back in force, they find themselves at sea and fill the land with lamentations, as we say in Tibet. Anger or despair takes them over, compounding their initial difficulty with pointless suffering.
Try to understand the source of our suffering. Like everything else, it is the result of countless causes and conditions. If our feelings depended on one reason alone, we would only have to meet one cause of happiness for happiness to arise systematically. But we know very well that this is not how things work. So let’s give up the idea that there is always one thing that is responsible for our unhappiness, and that if we could identify it, we would not suffer.
Our attitude is the problem. Happiness is possible only when what we call suffering no longer causes us distress.
According to Buddhism, reflecting on the reality of suffering never induces either pessimism or despair. It leads to the discovery of the root causes of our plight: desire, hatred, and ignorance, and to a way of freeing ourselves from them. By ignorance, we mean not understanding the true nature of people and things. It gives rise to the other two poisons. When ignorance dissolves, desire and hatred have no foundation, and the source of our suffering has dried up. As a result, we experience a happiness that is spontaneously altruistic and that is no longer at the mercy of negative emotions.
Dalai Lama Quotes on Unhappiness
In industrialized countries, one sees many unhappy people. They have everything they need, enjoy all the conditions required for a comfortable life, and yet they are not content with their lot. They make themselves unhappy through jealousy or for many other reasons. Certain people are continually on the alert for a cataclysm, while others believe the end of the world is nigh. Such people manufacture their own suffering because they are unable to think sanely. If only they changed the way they saw things, their torment would disappear.
Many people have real reasons to suffer. Who are really ill, for example, on the breadline, disaster victims, or abused? And yet, here again, they often have the power to remedy this. Practically speaking, they can and should take care of themselves, speak out against their abusers, and take them to court demanding damages, or again, they can work extremely hard if they do not have enough food or clothes. And mentally, they can adopt a positive attitude.
It is our mental attitude that determines the degree to which the only proper reaction is suffering. If one is sick, for example, one should do whatever is possible to get better, such as seeing a doctor. A treatment involves specific exercises, but generally. We complicate our situation by worrying about it, adding more anguish to our physical suffering.
Even if you lose someone very close, such as your father, you should reason with yourself. After a certain age, life naturally draws to an end. When you were small, your parents did their utmost to raise you. Now you have nothing to regret. Of course, if they die prematurely in a road accident, for example, the sadness is much greater.
Dalai Lama Quotes on Loneliness and Isolation
Learned from a recent poll that a majority of Americans admit that they suffer from loneliness and isolation. One quarter of adults admitted feeling deeply lonely in the previous fortnight, and this phenomenon appears to be widespread. There are thousands of people on city streets, yet not one of them looks at another. If their eyes cross, they do not smile unless they are meeting formally. People sit next to each other in trains for hours, talking to each other. Isn’t this strange?
Another cause of isolation, in my view, is that in modern society we are all terribly busy. If we talk to someone, even if only to say How are you? We feel we are losing two precious seconds of our lives. We have hardly finished working before we dive into the newspaper. Let’s see what the news is. Discussing things with a friend is a waste of time.
People who live in cities usually know quite a few people. One has to say hello. As there is a risk of being drawn into conversation with everyone, this isn’t practical. So we avoid contact, and if someone speaks to you, it feels like an intrusion.
When people in a big town or city feel lonely, this does not mean that they lack human companionship, but rather that they lack human affection. As a result of this, their mental health eventually becomes very poor. On the other hand, those who grow up in an atmosphere of human affection have a much more positive and gentle development of their bodies, minds, and behaviors.
Too much self-centered attitude, you see, brings, you see, isolation—result: loneliness, fear, anger. The extreme self-centered attitude is the source of suffering.
Society is becoming less and less humane, and our lives are growing mechanical. Each morning, we go out to work. When work is finished, we distract ourselves at a nightclub or similar venue. We get drunk, go home late, and sleep for a few hours. And the next day, half asleep and in a daze, we go out to work again. Don’t many people in cities spend much of their lives like this? And as each person has become somewhat like a cog in a machine, they follow the herd whether they feel like it or not. After a while, this lifestyle becomes hard to sustain, and we close in on ourselves in indifference.
Spend Some Time Alone Every Day- Dalai Lama.
Don’t go out and drink too much in the evening. Once your working day is over, it’s better to go home. Take your time to eat, have a cup of tea or something, read a book, relax, and go to bed. Get up early next morning. If you go to work with a fresh and open mind, I think your life will be pretty different.
Everyone knows that feeling isolated is neither helpful nor pleasant. Each one of us has to struggle against it. But as it arises from many causes and conditions, it is essential to address it early. The family, that fundamental unit of society, should be a place where one feels happy and can develop in an atmosphere of love and affection.
Children are brought up in a warm and caring environment, both at home and at school. Once they are adults and socially engaged, they will be able to help others. When they meet someone for the first time, they will feel at ease and won’t be afraid to speak to them. They will contribute to creating a new atmosphere in which feelings of isolation will be much less common.
Dalai Lama Quotes on Fear
Even from the moment they wake up, some people are full of inexplicable fear and anguish. This feeling can have many causes. Sometimes, a person has been badly treated by their parents or siblings when they were small. Others have been sexually abused. They have been assaulted, and they have difficulty talking about it.
Gradually, a kind of fear establishes itself, and they feel uneasy when they manage to express what they have experienced. If there is someone who can help them understand that it’s all over, that the past is past, then they may have a chance to close that chapter of their life. In Tibet, we say the only way to unblock a conch shell is by blowing into it.
When I was young, I was always afraid of the dark. As time went by, the fear went. Also, about meeting people, the more your mind is closed, the greater the possibility of developing fear or feeling uncomfortable. The more open you are, the less awkward you will feel. That is my experience. Suppose I meet anyone, whether a great man, a beggar, or just an ordinary person, to me there is no difference. The most important thing is to smile and show a genuine human face.
If you are afraid because you have no self-confidence and feel that nothing you do will ever succeed, stop a while to think it over. Try to see why you imagine you are a loser before you have even started. You won’t find any really valid reason. The problem stems from your way of thinking, not from an absolute lack of competence.
Dalai Lama Quotes on War
In every human society, some people cause many problems, and it is necessary to put in place adequate measures to prevent them from causing harm. When there is no other alternative, one may have to resort to armed force. For me, an army should not serve to propagate a doctrine or invade another country, but only as a last resort to put an end to the actions of those who destroy the well-being of humanity and sow the seeds of chaos. The only acceptable goal of any war is the happiness of everyone involved, not personal interests. War is therefore a last resort.
History shows us that violence only engenders more violence and rarely solves problems. On the other hand, it certainly creates unfathomable suffering. It is also apparent that, even when war seems wise and logical as a means to end a conflict, we can never know for sure whether, by putting out a fire, we are in fact lighting a furnace.
As soon as men have weapons, they tend to use them. My view is that there should no longer be any national armies. The world should be demilitarized, except for a multinational force that would intervene only when certain elements threaten the peace of a particular region.
Everyone talks about peace, but peace is impossible to bring about externally if one harbors anger or hatred within. Neither can the wish for peace be reconciled with the arms race. Nuclear weapons are considered a deterrent, but in the long term, this does not seem to me to be a very sensible or effective strategy.
Certain countries spend colossal sums on developing arms. So much money, energy, and talent are wasted, while the threat of things going wrong only produces more and more fear.
Dalai Lama Quotes on Jealousy
Jealousy is absurd because a society’s well-being depends on all the individuals that belong to it. If some prosper, society itself benefits, and therefore, to some extent, we do too. When we see someone who is wealthy, rather than feeling irritated, we should realize that their wealth also benefits us.- (Dalai Lama Quotes No-250 Book 365 Dalai Lama Daily Advice from the Heart)
The person who makes us jealous is a dependent, or if someone we love, we can only rejoice in their success. If we do not have much respect for the person, but their success is good for society, that is another reason to rejoice. We would be incapable of making our country prosperous by ourselves. It requires the concerted efforts and talent of many people. Since this person is one of these capable people, that is good news.- (Dalai Lama Quotes No-251 Book 365 Dalai Lama Daily Advice from the Heart)
If those who are richer or more intelligent than we are only use their success for their own benefit, what can we gain by suffocating ourselves through jealousy? Why shouldn’t other people have the right to have what we ourselves wish we had?-(Dalai Lama Quotes No-252 Book 365 Dalai Lama Daily Advice from the Heart)
